The study conducted by Heather E. Price (2012) focused on the variety of outcomes produced by principal–teacher interactions. This helps us to better understand the differences in attitudes held by teachers and principals or administrators. Price's research primarily focused on a principals’ contribution to teacher-principal relationships, as it is crucial for them to initiate and maintain relationships with their school's teachers (Price, 2012, p. 41).
The most challenging part about creating the following list of suggestions is that not all teachers and principals deal with negative or low quality teacher-principal relationships. The reason that I am so passionate about this topic is because I strongly believe that undervaluing today's teachers is a strong indicator of where teacher-principal relationships are headed in future educational settings. If teachers do not feel valued, appreciated, heard or considered in their daily work lives, then it is expected to have an impact on the development and quality of their relationships with principals, and vice versa.
Suggestions for principals to consider to enhance and/or maintain quality relationships with their teachers:
- Share the power! When power between principals and teachers is balanced, professional interactions will increase job satisfaction, positive attitudes towards instructional leadership, and will increase the interactions between you and your school's teachers (Price, 2012, p. 50-51, 60).
- Create interpersonal support to alleviate job stress and burnout for yourself and your teachers. You can help teachers accomplish their work in different ways, such as allocating small assignments to multiple staff members so that teachers can remain focused on their main responsibilities (Fernet et al., 2012, p. 517).
- Facilitate the development of teacher efficacy through onsite and offsite professional development opportunities that focus on supporting teachers’ instructional leadership practices (Edinger & Edinger, 2018, p. 588).
- Increase the frequency of teacher-principal interactions and shared decision-making processes - this will directly build a stronger level of trust in quality teacher-principal relationships (Szeto & Cheng, 2018, p 365).
- Create safe and accepting school environments where their teachers feel free to express their opinions about school improvement (Ch et al., 2017, p. 55).
- Pay more attention to teachers’ feeling of belonging and emotional exhaustion (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011, p. 1036).
- Promote self-care practices for teachers within school settings! Provide a school atmosphere that supports teacher well-being. Teacher self-care can be encouraged through offering "physical exercise activities, mindfulness, and encouraging work-life balance staff-wide within schools"(Gray et al., 2017, p. 208). Staff-wide and teacher focused self-care activities can be organized at the administration level of the school and create a school atmosphere that values teacher well-being (Gray et al., 2017, p. 208).
- Encourage risk taking when the risk aims toward school improvement ideas and decisions are made collaboratively with teachers (Price, 2012, p. 42).
Suggestions for teachers to consider to protect and establish their value within the context of their relationships with principals or administrators:
- Engage in self-care activities that will help you feel more valued, confident and successful. This will increase your own self efficacy levels and will allow your physical and emotional states to experience a break from the craziness of your work day! When teachers are mentally, emotionally and physically ready to be in their classrooms, instructional leadership experiences will become more rewarding.
- Improve your professional practices by incorporating differentiated instruction, classroom behavior management, or technology integration strategies into your teaching pedagogy (Edinger & Edinger, 2018, p. 588). Being flexible to enhance your instructional leadership strategies and professional practices will make your life better at school!
- Developing strong and positive relationships with your principals from the very first weeks of the school year. Get to know your principals or administrators on a more personal level, if possible, to take way any tension or uncertainty about your professional relationship. Although this can be difficult to establish, remember that making an effort to understand your principals or administrators leadership style.
- Trust is the bedrock to building quality teacher-principal relationships (Price, 2012, p.40). Although principals or administrators have an equal part in this, try to find ways to demonstrate your best qualities and an instructional leader and as a caring and confident teacher. This way, principals can trust that you are being authentic in your practices, and therefore you will develop a more trusting teacher-principal relationship.